Travel Inspired & Travel Inspiring

Monthly Archives: June 2012

The excitement of game day is already in the air in Berlin. Germany is so close. They have a big hurdle to get through tomorrow, beating Italy, to make it to the finals, but many Germans believe that this is their best year – this is the best chance Germany has to win a European Championship title. I wouldn’t say I take the game too seriously…but there are definitely things I enjoy.

We heard mixed things about finding an apartment in Berlin. Some insisted that Berlin rents were dirt cheap – that you could find huge lofts for a fraction of the price that it would cost you in any other German city. Some cautioned about super high commissions charged by the real estate agents – costing as high as two or three months rent. Some warned us that finding an apartment in Berlin wasn’t easy – nice apartments were difficult to come by. Even when you found something decent, it usually wasn’t in the right neighbourhood. And finding the right neighbourhood is key in Berlin – it is such a big city that typically residents stick to their area when going out – venturing to the other side of the city for dinner just doesn’t happen as often as it should. Some warned us about living in Prenzlauer Berg, where the yuppy mommies hang out with their baby bjorns and their strollers. Some encouraged us to find a place in Kreutzberg – the coolest area in town where the clubs and after-hours clubs kept you partying from Friday night to Sunday morning. Some mentioned that Neukoln was the next hot spot and to get a leg up on it by finding an apartment there now, even though the area is still a bit dodgy.